from the Archives... - Saturday, September 30 2006

k, better post something before i forget. here's some notes/pics from back in late August when we (the Osaka JETs) were causing mayhem in Rinku Town...

Rinku Town: a little holiday w/in a "holiday" here in Japan. we`re here at the Japan Foundation Japanese-Language Institute in Kansai, near the southern end of Osaka prefecture (the Keihan train stop right before Kansai airport along the coast).

supposed to be here for 2 days of Japanese language training, but this place feels like more of a resort (w/o the all-inclusive good food though). we get 24hr internet access, free rental bicycles to cruise around town, a beach 5 min. away, and a big ass outlet mall (run by the same company that opened up those Premium outlets in Tulalip, WA) close by as well. take those surroundings, throw in a few izakayas AND the hotel`s err...i mean school`s free karaoke/piano/guitar room and we definitely have a nice little retreat going on.

very thankful for the piano and the guitar (just an old electric piano and a ratty old tak, but better than nothing)...loved it for mellowing out. music keeps me sane.

just barely.
=P


this little getaway was definitely refreshing, a nice little "oasis" for our group of 30-40 Osaka Prefecture JETs still weary from Tokyo Orientation, and just beginning to tackle the challenges of setting up shop locally in our own individual cities. it was a good time to just reconnect, chill, and "try" to work on our Japanese.

ok, some pics...




(the view from my room)


(this one's mine)




white pebble beach




the perfect setting for some ruckus:






(Tyson unloading some ammo)


here, D catches me being the "responsible" one:


"uhh guys, are we being legal here? i think this might be wrong..."



5 minutes later...




"...Sugoi!"






(don't worry, this was all legal...fireworks AND alcohol on the beach. now what could go wrong with that? =P)

seriously though, it's like a local past-time.


a tipsy Rob;

(taking a picture of me, taking a picture of him, taking a picture of me, taking a...)


a few from our Gaijin Biker gang


chillin' with some locals


my midnight piano retreat

beach sunrise, after an all-nighter on the 2nd night:






Farewell Rinku Town...





...we'll be back.

chotto matte... - Thursday, September 28 2006

i know my next post was supposed to be about my apartment...but i haven't gotten around to that yet. all the same though, it's that time of year again and i dunno, i just thought it'd be appropriate to write at least something, no matter how pointless. so i'm just gonna let my thoughts run-on for a moment:

yeesh...Japan. who'd have thought? it's been great so far; people are friendly, work-situation is good, students are eager to learn, it just feels like there's so much i've been given the potential and opportunity to do here. in light of all this though, i don't think i could call this home. but then again, where have i really called "home" in the past few years? Vancouver is still at the top of my list in terms of cities to live/work/play in; family is there of course, friends, my roots, all surrounded by a beautiful city and nature with abundant entertainment (and food!) but what of the future? does it lie in Vancouver, or...?

they say opportunity only knocks once, but what if you have more than one door?

i just wonder how long it'll be until i finally stop feeling like a transient...

ok, thanks for listening. the least i can do is post some pics...but oh what to post? ah, i know...everyone's gotta love turtles. it's been less than 2 months, but i've already started a small collection of these excellent amphibians to help myself feel more surrounded by my own species:


my first Japanese friend:

(this guy doubled as a pillow for the first little while when i had absolutely no furniture)



some sort of container:

(they guard thumbtacks for the time-being)



funky patch i picked up @ a funky store in Osaka called Fool & the Hermit:

(haven't found something cool enough to sew it onto just yet)



Candle-holder:

(for when i have those romantic dinners with...)
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.

(...myself)



another interesting hand-carved wooden tray:

(shell comes off to reveal hidden treasure!)



and of course, i can't forget my super-deal of a sweat-towel:

(everyone's gotta have one of these in order to survive an Osaka summer)



haaai...so now i`m older, a little bit lighter, feeling a lot fatter, and slightly more of an international amphibian.


ok.





have fun kids,




and stay away from orange marmalade.




until next time...

*blogger-barf* - Monday, September 25 2006

whoa, thought it'd been a while since it feels so busy here, but i guess it's only a week since my last post. arggh...wish i had the time/energy to make a decent post to fill in the blanks, but that won't happen for a while. ah well, people really just want pictures/eye-candy anyway right?

fine.

as promised, here's a bunch:


Summer Sonic 2006 @ the Osaka WTC

didn't get to see every single act we wanted (Nelly Furtado switched her showtimes last-minute, missed Linkin Park etc...) but we did end up getting our money's worth i think with:

the All-American Rejects
Fallout Boy
the Kooks
the Arctic Monkeys
Fort Minor
DJ Shadow
Tool
Massive Attack

also, here's some clips i was able to nab:
(since i'm cool, now that i finally have a camera phone =P)

the All-American Rejects:




Fallout Boy:




the Arctic Monkeys:







some drum action from Fort Minor:




and a short funky clip of DJ Shadow:



not too bad for my First real rock concert eh?

next time: an update on my ghetto ass apato...

a clip from Magical Moriguchi - Saturday, September 16 2006

(note: here's where i'll post about random everyday stuff, for updates on teaching/school stuff check the Training Log)

too lazy to write much...a tiring day and a blown rear tire are to blame.

the heat was suffocating at times during my first week here, and b/c i heard a/c costs an arm and a leg i decided to just head outside and chill on the streets for the first few nights when it got too hot...get to know the city streets at night, grab some iced coffee here n there...and i came to realize that every night i'd hear some chimes coming from the center of downtown every night at a certain time. 2200 to be exact.

so, one Tuesday night i had my camera w/ me and thought i'd capture the moment:



next time: pics/video from SummerSonic 2006 in Osaka!

crazy...i FINALLY have internet.

let's start at the beginning (or at least as far back in this whirlwind as i can remember) prior to departure:

Sunday, July 30 - church, lunch @ home and a long ass nap...then Youth Leaders Appreciation dinner @ P. Dan's @ 1800, then video games & farewell cake @ Caleb's @ 2030. a prologue to some consecutive dining out:

Monday, July 31 - was in all day packing, decided i needed a good run to wake me up/clear my head. that was real nice. then back to organizing clothes/supplies/stubborn thoughts going through my head...then dinner @ the Sandbar in Granville Island. those in attendance: Cat, JY, DC (the "darkness" himself!), Cy, Dylan, Wally.


drank some wine (even though i often don't, and don't even like cabernet) just so SOMEone wouldn't feel like an alcoholic for ordering a bottle all to herself...even if she did drink the entire thing save for the one glass that i had.

Tuesday, August 1 - late dinner @ Stella's on the Drive w/ my favourite nurse Helene. good times catching up, sharing travel stories and pictures, future aspirations etc...all accompanied by good food and drink.



Wednesday, August 2 - got an Alibi? spent the day wandering Commercial Drive for eats, shopping etc...time well spent. alas, despite my already bursting luggage at home, i had to buy one more t-shirt. but this was no ordinary 't' so i just had to get it. it's like the Ying to the Yang, the other half of an inside joke if you will.

one last dinner w/ VCBC ppl @ the Alibi Room. good times...all around.




Thursday, August 3 - lunch didn't happen b/c mr. Erock is a turd. mulled around my luggage for a bit...then decided to go for a good run again. that was nice. last minute haircut, then @ 1815: time for dinner w/ some family (uncles, aunts, grandpa) @ HYK. good stuff. prbbly won't get good chinese food like this for quite a while so that was nice. then off for coffee n catchup w/ ms. Wu, and had banker JY swing by w/ my Yen. ahh the Bank of JY...where you always get better than the best exchange rate.

Friday, August 4th - don't remember because i didn't jot down notes. i was probably just stressing out trying to pack/cram stuff in last minutes...and oh YES, had my laptop DIE on me at the last possible moment and stayed up till friggin 3am w/ pops reinstalling XP. yeah, way to go Microsoft.

DEPARTURE - Saturday, August 5th

and so...after barely 2 hours of sleep due to computer problems (and last-minute jitters i suppose) i hauled my ass off to YVR bright n early to catch the JET plane. checked in luggage w/o a problem, then it was just killing time in the food court till i had to board. of course, there's the farewell shop w/ mom n pops:

and thanks to all the rest who came out to bid their brain-damaged friend a bon voyage.


and so it has finally come to pass, i've left the beautiful Pacific Northwest...


whooo...and that's all i have energy for at the time-being. it's been a crazy week, and i just got back from Shorinji kempo. after going out for some biru and snacks @ an izakaya w/ Maki sensei, some sempai (our seniors) and my other fellow Canadian JETs. yes, i've decided i need a good way to exercise and kempo twice a week on Monday & Friday nights is pretty cool. it also doesn't hurt that Maki sensei lets us gaijin come for FREE too i guess...=P

got tons to write about on Osaka, settling in, excursions etc...but that'll have to wait. i'm just psyched that i finally got the net going so i can post some pics. and that's just what i'll do:


Tokyo (Shinjuku area)


August 6-9: Orientation @ Tokyo's Keio Plaza Hotel


along the riverbank in Kyoto (about an hour(?) North of Moriguchi-shi by train)


flaming torches on the hillside in Kyoto (Daimonji Festival)


sunrise from the beach in Rinkutown (about 2 hours(?) South by train)

and of course...i have to include something mildly amusing to congratulate those who had the patience to bear w/ my rambling and read all of this crap. but i promise you it's worth it...guess who i saw on the train the other day?

it's none other than the godfather of SOUL himself, in the flesh and in Nippon...

the JAPANESE James Brown:



i kid you not, i was totally cracking up when i saw this guy. i was by myself so it was kinda hard to be conspicuous since my phone camera makes this annoying beeping sound that i don't know how to shut off, and i was concentrating on trying to wipe the stupid grin off my face so he wouldn't notice. kinda hard when you're sitting directly across from someone, but still...this was Gold. he even took out a little sweat towel n did the whole dabbing-the-forehead bit n everything! like seriously, this dude was kakui.



k, i need some sleep...